Meshnyakov Viktor Dmitrievich (Meshnyakov Viktor Dmitrovich)

On June 6, 2023, in the city of Zaporizhzhia, occupied Zaporizhzhia region, a 25-year-old local resident, Ukrainian citizen Viktor Meshnyakov, was abducted from his workplace at a mine. His relatives did not know about his detention and considered him missing. A month later, on July 14, 2023, Viktor's 44-year-old aunt, Ukrainian citizen Antonina (Nonna) Galko, was abducted from her home. She was placed in a 'basement' where other relatives of hers ended up as well. The others were subsequently released, but Nonna's older sister, Natalya Sevostyanova, required urgent medical attention after the 'interrogations.' Natalya's body was later found in the morgue. Nonna Galko and Viktor Meshnyakov were accused of espionage. According to the Russian investigation, in August 2022, Nonna and Viktor passed information about the location of Russian servicemen's fighters and equipment to Nonna's son, who serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They allegedly used one of the messengers for communication. On December 2, 2024, the Rostov Regional Court found the defendants guilty and sentenced Nonna Galko and Viktor Meshnyakov to 15 years of imprisonment. Galko is to serve her sentence in a general regime correctional colony, while her nephew is to serve his in a strict regime colony. On April 10, 2025, the Third Appellate Court of General Jurisdiction left the verdict unchanged.